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Pregnancy Symptoms
11/29/2008 - by Anne Marie Nielson
Morning
Sickness
For a large amount of pregnant women, morning sickness
leaves them queasy and feeling under the weather. If you
find yourself suffering from nausea and vomiting, there are
some methods you can try to get relief. Other women may
find themselves at their care provider's office asking for
relief from severe morning sickness. Severe cases may
result in dehydration and even malnutrition.
While the underlying cause for morning sickness isn't fully
understood, scientists do know that the brain stem controls
the feeling of nausea. This region may be overstimulated
during pregnancy by many different things. One theory is
that hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), the pregnancy
hormone, is the cause. In early pregnancy, this hormone is
found in high levels in the blood stream. About the time
the blood volume expands in the second trimester, most
cases of morning sickness get better.
Another theory is that morning sickness is influenced by
the relaxation that occurs in the digestive system due to
higher levels of progesterone in the body. This slows down
the digestion and makes it less efficient. Or it could be
more likely to happen on an empty stomach. Yet another
possible reason may be the rapid expansion of the muscles
of the uterus.
Emotions also influence morning sickness. In primitive
cultures where pregnant women do not go through the
stresses we do in the modern world, morning sickness is
relatively unknown. Women who are stressed about an
unplanned pregnancy may have more severe morning sickness
than a woman who is very happy to be pregnant. First time
mothers seem to get morning sickness more frequently than
those who are more experienced.
To prevent morning sickness, or at least lessen its
effects, there are many things you can try. Keep something
nearby to eat first thing in the morning so you don't get
out of bed on an empty stomach. Crackers, toast or other
bland foods can help at any time you feel nauseated. Eat
before you get nauseous. This can help prevent morning
sickness.
Instead of eating three large meals per day, eat four to
six smaller meals throughout the day. This keeps your
stomach from getting completely empty and keeps you blood
sugar on a more even keel. Long stretches between eating
can cause nausea, as can eating too much at a single
meal.
Don't drink liquids with your meals. Drink in between
meals. Don't overindulge and fill your stomach with liquid,
either. Drink small quantities at a time.
Eat foods that are high in protein and complex
carbohydrates. These foods are slower to digest and our
bodies deal with them much better than with simpler
carbohydrates.
If you are vomiting a lot, be sure you replace the liquid
that you are losing to prevent dehydration. Herbal tea,
fruit juice and popsicles may help fight nausea.
Take a prenatal vitamin to compensate for what you can't
keep down. Be aware that some vitamins cause nausea, so if
you find your prenatal supplement is making you sick, try
another type.
Try to get more sleep and eat a snack before you go to bed
to keep something in your stomach throughout the night. In
the morning, start slowly instead of rushing about. Try to
reduce your stress level if possible.
At From Pregnancy To Baby, we try to provide you with
all of the latest information about going through your
pregnancy from your first trimester to the first years of
your new babies life. We also provide the highest quality
books and products to help you through that time.
Source: http://www.frompregnancytobaby.com/Morning-Sickness.html
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